Lily Evans: First Year Witch
by Neliza.Cole
Summary: Lily Evans has just discovered a whole world she never knew about, yet it's the world in which she seems to belong.
1. The Letter

**DISCLAIMER**: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Chapter 1

The Letter

As soon as I got home from day camp, I ran straight up to my room and shut the door, trying to avoid being assigned any chores. Turning on my record player, I grabbed one of my sister Petunia's teenage magazines and fell into my pink bed. It was time to "zone out". I was just reading what style would be best for my thick, fluffy hair when the music abruptly ended and _Teen Today_ was snatched from my hands.

"_Petunia_!" I cried. My sister was a typical fifteen year old. The world of course revolved around her.

"Are you aware that that is _my _magazine and _my _record?"

"Petunia, this magazine is over a year old, you _said_ I could have it, and you don't even _like_ The Beatles anymore, you never like anything for more than a month," I said calmly in my defense, trying to sound superior.

"Well, I've got to keep up with the times, Lily! Just because I don't listen to the record anymore, that doesn't mean I want you messing up my player! And I changed my mind! I want my magazine back. It goes with my collection. Besides, nothing in there applies to you anyway. You're not a teenager, you're _ELEVEN_."

Petunia found pleasure in stating the fact that I was four years younger than her whenever possible. She thought that being in high school somehow made her more sophisticated and … just plain better. The fact that she acted like a four year old didn't seem to make a difference. "I'm not stupid. We both know you don't have a collection. You usually throw them out rather than give them to me, and I am reduced to nicking them from the dustbin. You just came up here for the sole purpose of ruining my day."

Petunia narrowed her eyes loathingly, but, recognizing defeat, got off the magazine subject. "_Actually_, I came up here to give you a message. Go downstairs and help Mum fold laundry."

I rolled onto my stomach and closed my eyes. "Make me". My sister took this literally. Seizing my arm, she shoved me out the door. I stomped down the stairs, only to find that Mum had already finished the laundry, and was sleeping on the sofa, television still on. I stormed upstairs.

"Finished already?" Petunia smiled innocently.

"You _are_ insufferable!" I flopped onto my bed once again. After being forced to exercise for an hour and a half at camp, I was exhausted. I couldn't sleep, though, even after twenty minutes with my eyes closed, my head under my pillow. I grabbed a book from under my bed. My book. Now she would have nothing to nag me about. I could still feel eyes on me from the bed across the room, though.

"Pity you couldn't sleep. You could use some beauty rest."

I ignored her.

Morning brought heat streaming through the window onto me. It was Saturday. No camp. Yes. I had put my bed in that specific spot for a reason. In the summer mornings, my body usually woke me up at right about 8:00, and the sun was always shining in that part of the room. I felt like an angel, with the light focused on me. It made the edges of my deep red hair seem to glow. I needed just one small thing to make me feel beautiful and special. I needed a reason to get up in the morning. Luckily, Petunia had never discovered my secret about the light. If she had, she would have taken it away from me, just like she took away everything else. Just to make me angry. But then again, I wasn't surprised. Petunia never seemed to notice the small things, unless they had to do with her hair, makeup, or anything that might give someone the impression that she wasn't perfect. But how could she ever really feel beautiful without the small things?

I didn't have much time to ponder this, though. Mum began calling from downstairs.

"Lily! Breakfast!"

I could smell the eggs and bacon and hurried downstairs.

Mum kissed me on the top of the head and told me to sit down, before shoveling food onto my plate. Once everyone was served, we started eating and getting into our usual, boring breakfast routine. Mum and Dad were talking about the normal adult things - politics, weather, gossip about the neighbors or people at church. Petunia was across from me, talking on the phone with one of her million best friends. Mum had tried over and over again to get Petunia to stop talking on the telephone during meals, but had eventually given up. I was always quiet, though. I nibbled on a piece of toast, turned around in my chair, and stared out the large window, people - watching. It is so extremely difficult to people - watch, though, when there are no people. _Come on! It's a beautiful July morning_, I thought. _Surely_ someone _will want to take a walk! _I sat there for about fifteen minutes, until my toast was gone, staring intently out the window, hoping that someone, _anyone_, would walk by. Preferably someone I didn't know, though. Then I could make up their name, age, what they were feeling at the moment and why. This was what I was reduced to. My life was so boring and consistent that I had to make up stories about other peoples'. I finally gave up and turned back. My mother and father were now reading different sections of the newspaper, while Petunia chattered on. I was starting to wish that I did have camp. I was bored almost to tears, and the day had barely started. Nothing interesting was happening at home, and the few friends that I had were all on holiday or at overnight camps. I was desperately hoping that something different would happen, when I caught a disgusting whiff of something burning. I saw smoke.

"Dad, the oven's burning!", I managed to get out, just before flames erupted. This was especially strange, considering the oven wasn't even on.

My family jumped up. Mum and Dad sprayed the oven with the fire extinguisher.

Petunia, still on the phone, screamed to her friend, "Susan! SUSAN! OH NO! My house is on fire! _I can't breathe! _I think I'm _dying!_" I only stood by and watched. When everyone had finally calmed down, about twenty minutes had passed. I had the whole rest of the day ahead of me. I heard the familiar "_screech, squeak, tink!_" of our mail slot and went running. I always wanted to be first to the mail, just in case there was something for me, even though there hardly ever was. I sorted through the envelopes. Three bills, a letter for Petunia, and a letter for me. Laying the other four on a table near the door, I sat on the sofa to open mine. It was very old - fashioned. It seemed to be made of parchment, and a red wax seal on the back had the letter "H" surrounded by a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake. It was addressed, in violet ink, to:

_Lily Evans_

_Bedroom Overlooking the Street_

_Number 16 Oak Drive_

_Gingerheart_

_Surrey_

There was no stamp or return address. I opened it, very curious. There were three pieces of parchment inside. The first one read:

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster_

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

_Dear Miss Evans,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to HogwartsSchool of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July._

_Sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall,_

_Deputy Headmistress_

I was completely confused. It must be a prank, but none of my friends knew where I slept. I'd never had them over because of my sister. Besides, none of them were home anyway, and this had to have been dropped off at my house. There was no stamp. I decided to read the rest to see if I got any more information. I pulled out the list.

_HogwartsSchool of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_UNIFORM_

_First - year students will require:_

_1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)_

_2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear_

_3. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)_

_4. Completely black shoes ( any non-magic type)_

_5. Three button - up shirts with collars (plain white, no design)_

_Slacks, skirts, and vests must be bought from Hogwarts, and may be pre - ordered. One patch for each cloak and one tie according to house must also be bought after Sorting. House scarves, gloves, and hats are also available but not required. All cloaks and robes should reach ankles, and all clothes should carry nametags. Uniforms are not required on weekends or holidays, but must be worn all day schooldays._

_COURSE BOOKS_

_First - year students will require:_

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)

_by Miranda Goshawk_

Magical History (Grade 1)

_by George Bagshot_

Magical Theory

_by Aldabert Waffling_

The Standard Book of Transfiguration (Grade 1, 2nd Edition)

_by Miranda Goshawk_

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi

_by Phyllida Spore_

Encyclopedia of Magical Beasts and Creatures

_by Faye Hermit_

The Dark Force: A Guide to Self - Protection

_by Quentin Trimble_

Magical Drafts and Potions

_by Arsenius Jigger_

_OTHER EQUIPMENT_

_1 wand_

_1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)_

_1 set glass or crystal phials_

_1 telescope_

_2 sets brass scales_

_Students may also bring A cat OR toad OR rat OR owl_

_PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS_

Broomsticks, wands, cauldrons? If someone wanted to trick me into believing it, they could have done a lot better than that! Of course, I didn't believe it, but I wanted to, so, so much. I would have given anything for it to be true.

I ran into the kitchen. Only my mother was there. She was now reading a book and had a cup of tea. "Mum! You'll never believe what was sent to me. Read this."

She took the envelope from me and proceeded to read the parchment. After a few minutes, she handed them back to me and said, seemingly uninterested, "I don't know who sent it to you or their intentions, but I suggest you just throw it out."

I was disappointed, but I didn't know why. "Yes, ma'am." I went back upstairs and started to toss the envelope out, but I stopped myself. Instead, I walked to my bed and, lifting my mattress, placed it underneath. I let go of the mattress and went to go see what was on television.


	2. The Truth

DISCLAIMER: I own none of these characters, or the main plotline. It all belongs to J. K. Rowling, Scholastic, Bloomsbury, Warner Brothers, and a bunch of other people. I am doing this for fun, and no profit is being made.

Chapter 2

The Truth

On Sunday, I woke early, to take a walk before breakfast. I had only gotten to the end of our street when I saw the most peculiar looking woman. She seemed to have come out of nowhere. She looked to be about middle-aged, with brownish-gray hair in a tight bun at the top of her neck, and a slightly lined face. The severe, business-like expression on her face told me that she was not someone to be crossed. It was what she was wearing that made her strange, though. An ankle-length black _cloak_ with _robes_, and a black hat, pointed, like a witch. Everything from her hat to her boots was black, except for the hideous carpetbag that she carried in her left hand, which was a violent scarlet, decorated in gold.

Okay, this could _not_ be a coincidence. She must have something to do with that letter! I turned to walk behind her, to see where she was going. I knew it was impossible, yet…

She stopped. Obviously sensing someone following her, she turned around quickly. But not quick enough. I darted off the path and crouched behind a convenient bush. I didn't know why I was hiding, but something told me that I shouldn't have seen her. I squinted through the leaves at her. I gasped, as she looked straight at me, narrowing her eyes knowingly. She stared directly at me for almost a minute. I tried not to breathe, but it made my eyes water. I was caught. Then, to my surprise and relief, she turned and kept walking, as if nothing had happened.

I continued to watch her as she crossed the street. _She was heading for my house!_ I jumped up and started sprinting toward her. If she _did_ have something to do with the witch school, I wanted to speak with her before my parents. Only people who were around me all the time, like my best friend, Emily, would not be alarmed by my actions. Most people classified me as the "shy, quiet, lives in books, etc." type, but it was not true. Okay, maybe I did read a lot, and I was quiet, but only because I found no need to waste my breath on mindless ramblings that wouldn't matter tomorrow, but I, Lily Evans, was _anything_ but shy. Many people confuse shy with quiet. They think that I don't say much to strangers, so I must be afraid. Not true. When it comes to important matters, I do what needs to be done. I do whatever I can to get my way, and I'm not afraid of anything, especially people.

I stopped at her side, and walked with her to the other side. "Are you from Hog Warts?" I asked straight out.

"You must be Lily Evans."

"I am."

"I work at Hogwarts, yes."

"What do you want?"

"I've come to speak with your parents," she answered quickly.

"About what?"

"About you, attending Hogwarts." Her voice became considerably quieter when she spoke the name of the school.

"Why can't you talk to me?"

"Your parents need to know where you're going."

"So you've already decided, without their consent?" I responded quickly, not missing a beat.

We had reached my house. She had obviously decided to disregard my last question. The woman rang the doorbell, and my mother opened the door immediately. She started with the usual friendly smile, but it quickly faded as she took in the appearance of the woman. Her new expression was that of confusion. Her eyes were wide, and her mouth fell slightly open. Turning to me, she gave a slight smile, but an unsure one. "Lily?…."

I then realized that it must have seemed as if I was with this woman. "I-"

"Hello, Mrs. Evans. My name is Minerva McGonagall. I've come to speak to you about your daughter's…" She glanced around. "-schooling."

My mother seemed then to remember about the letter. As comprehension dawned, she looked to be at a loss for words.

"Excuse me, but may I come in?"

"Oh…I'm sorry. Where are my manners? Yes, please, have a seat." She stepped back, opening the door a little wider, and gestured toward the sofa and chairs, still confused.

I sat on the sofa with my mum, while Minerva McGonagall chose a straight-backed chair across from us. "As I stated before, my name is Minerva McGonagall. I am Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Your daughter has been accepted to Hogwarts, and I was unhappy to hear that you instructed her to "throw out" the letter.

"I…How-" My mother was fumbling for words, wondering how in the world this woman could know that, but then turned to me, once again, for an explanation. "Lily, did you tell her that? Did you _apply_ for a school of _witchcraft_?!"

"No! Of course, not! You know me, Mum. I would never do a thing like that!"

At that moment, my father, a large man with silvery-blond hair, entered the room. "What's going on here?"

"Honey, this woman is from that - school…that one I told you about."

He eyed Minerva McGonagall suspiciously. "What kind of nonsense is this?"

"I need to speak with you about Lily. She has been accepted to Hogwarts School."

He sat down next to me. "Lily, go to your room."

"But-" I sighed. "yes, Sir," I responded reluctantly.

I headed upstairs, completely confused. The last forty-eight hours had been so strange. Entering my bedroom, I saw that Petunia was not there. She must have gone out with her friends, or the boy of the week. I grabbed the book I had been reading the night before, _Stolen_ by Francis Georgie, but I couldn't concentrate. I was reading, but not comprehending, so I decided there was no point. I was left alone with my thoughts for about 40 minutes, at first occasionally hearing a bit of shouting, or sometimes a loud noise, but eventually just soft conversation. I would catch a word or two here and there, but nothing that really made sense. Finally Mum and Dad were calling me down.

I ran quickly, wanting to know what conclusion had come of the seemingly endless conversation. "…So?" I asked, reaching the first story, and was happy to see that all three adults were wearing looks of satisfaction. They had come to some sort of agreement.

Mum suddenly pulled me into a tight embrace. "Have I ever told you that you're a very special little girl?"

"Errrr…yeah, I guess so," I replied, though my words were muffled. I tried unsuccessfully to wriggle out of my mother's grasp, though she did loosen up a little, and I could turn around.

Dad was smiling, yet he still looked a little unsure of the whole situation. He gently patted me on the back. "We're proud of you, Darling. And your…abilities."

"Uh…"

The woman spoke this time. "You are a witch, Lily. You are going to attend a boarding school where you will be trained in witchcraft. Your first day of school will be September First. I am Professor McGonagall. I will be instructing you in transfiguration."

I looked at them, stunned, overwhelmed, trying to sort it through in my brain, trying to grasp the concept. Was this some sort of a joke? Part of me was scared, part of me was unimaginably happy, and part of me still didn't understand. It had all come so quickly. I noticed they were all staring at me, expectantly, waiting for a response. They wanted me to say something, but I was quite speechless.

I had so many questions.

"Trans-a-whats-a?"

That was all that came out


	3. The Leaky Cauldron

Chapter 3- The Leaky Cauldron

AN:I had some problems with this chapter, so that's why it's so short, but I think it's better than the second. Whatever, just read.

"Transfiguration," repeated the professor, and seeing my blank stare, added, "Don't worry about it. You'll understand when you get to Hogwarts."

Breaking free of my mother's arms, I backed up and sat on the bottom step. It had to be some sort of joke. But no one laughed. No one yelled "Gotcha!" or "April Fool!" It wasn't. It wasn't a joke.

The rest of summer passed as slowly as ever, but I kept myself occupied by dreaming about my new school. The Hogwarts letter and supply list were my only source of information, so I just kept reading them over and over, making up stories about Hogwarts, even though I had no idea what it would be like.

On the twenty-ninth of August, my mum, dad, and I drove to London and stayed in a hotel for the night. We were to meet Professor McGonagall the next day in the Leaky Cauldron, a small pub, to go buy my school supplies. We ended up having to walk six blocks to get there, because the cab driver simply could not find it. When we finally got there, I understood why. It was a tiny place, squeezed between two currently unused buildings, and I could have sworn that it wasn't there just twenty minutes before.

Once inside, I felt a bit out of place. Everyone in the pub was dressed in robes, cloaks, and pointy hats. They all stared at us as we entered, but I soon realized that we weren't the only people feeling uneasy. Another couple and their young daughter were standing in a corner, glancing around uncertainly. The girl looked about my age, with blonde hair that fell just to her shoulders and bangs. She was kind of skinny, but pretty all the same, and looked approachable. I walked over to her, my parents following closely behind.

"Hi."

"Hi."

"I'm...Lily. Lily Evans.

"Gretchen Williams."

"Are you going to Hogwarts?" I asked her.

"Yes," she replied, "I'm starting first year. I know a little bit, because my sister goes there, but not much, since I'm muggle-born. You are too, aren't you?"

I was puzzled. "Muggle-born?"

"Oh, it means that your parents are muggles. You know, non-magical people?"

"Oh... Yeah."

An awkward silence followed, until a familiar face appeared next to Gretchen's.

"Hello Gretchen. Are you ready?" It was Professor McGonagall.

"Yes."

"Good." She turned to Gretchen's parents. "Since you've already been through this once before, with Hilary, I'll just get you in and you can find your own way around."

Gretchen and I quickly waved goodbye, and her family then followed the professor through a door across the room.

"It must be our turn next," I told my parents. Looking around, I didn't see any other people that appeared to be "muggles".

A few minutes later, Professor McGonagall returned. "Are you ready to go, Lily?"

"Of course!" I responded quickly. "...Wait...Where are we going?"

She smiled. "Diagon Alley. Follow me, you'll see."

Professor McGonagall led us across the room to the same door through which she had led Gretchen's family. Past the door was a small courtyard with brick walls. We followed her still to the other end, where she stopped, facing the wall. Taking out a long, skinny piece of wood, her wand, she counted to a certain brick, and tapped it three times.

I jumped back quickly, amazed at what I saw before me. Magic! The wall folded away by itself, opening a passage.

"Well, step in, Lily. We can't stand here all day."

I took a step forward.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley," said Professor McGonagall.


	4. Back to School Shopping

**DISCLAIMER**: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Chapter 4 – Back to School Shopping

I could feel the magic in that place.

In Diagon Alley.

It was surrounding me, and it was the most wonderful feeling ... looking around, seeing all of these witches and wizards, just shopping and socializing, and doing their everyday things, and knowing that I belonged there, with those people. The crowded cobblestone street and old, raggedy buildings might not have impressed me under normal circumstances, but when the shop windows displayed broomsticks and cauldrons, the people were wearing pointed hats and carrying wands, and dozens of owls were zooming overhead, the situation was very different.

"Wow", came my mother's voice, which jerked me quickly back to reality.

"Yes, I suppose it is quite overwhelming to a muggle, but there's no time to stand here and gawk," Professor McGonagall quickly, "Come, come, I'll show you where you need to go."

It _was_ overwhelming. And it got more so the further we walked. Professor McGonagall showed us the wand shop, book shop, and various others that we would need for my supplies. It wasn't until I saw a young witch sitting outside a restaurant, counting out large foreign coins, that an obvious question hit me. How were we going to pay for all this?

"Professor McGonagall! What about money? Surely witches and wizards don't use pounds..."

The Professor slapped a hand to her face. "Aagh..." she sighed, exasperated, "I almost forgot! Gringotts!" She turned in the complete other direction and began to walk briskly toward her destination, a large stone building at the end of Diagon Alley. I took large steps, trying to keep up with her.

"Gringotts?"

"It's the bank. You can exchange your muggle money for Galleons there."

"Galleons... That's the wizard currency?"

"Yes, and Sickles and Knuts. It's five Knuts to a Sickle, and seventeen Sickles to a Galleon."

"Oh... I see," I said, but it was still a bit confusing.

The bank was beautiful. There were high ceilings and marble floors, and the place must've been ancient, but the beauty wasn't what I noticed first. It was the tellers. They weren't people. They were short and round and wrinkly, with pointy ears, long fingers, and a grayish tint to their skin. I almost wondered what they were, but it didn't take me long to figure it out. I'd spent enough time living inside fantasy novels to know. "Goblins!"

"Yes, Goblins."

"They... are they _intelligent_?"

Professor McGonagall gave me a surprised look. "_Of course_ they're intelligent!" she snapped (As if I should know!), "Sometimes more intelligent than us. Trustworthy, as well. That's why they run the bank."

I stopped talking after that, and just took in my surroundings. I waited patiently on a bench by the wall, as the professor helped my terrified parents exchange their money with one of the Gringotts goblins.

After we left the bank, Professor McGonagall hurried back to the Leaky Cauldron to help the next family, and my parents decided to stop at an ice cream parlor while I picked up my supplies. I was a little relieved about this because I was sure they would embarrass me anyway.

I followed Professor McGonagall's advice and visited Ollivander's, the wand shop, first. The shop was old and dusty, and when I looked into the rows of wands, kept in long, skinny, packages like shoeboxes, they seemed to go on forever. Mr. Ollivander was an older man, with a solemn face and snakelike eyes. To tell the truth, he was a bit creepy, but I had to get a wand. The moment I walked in, he turned to me, and smiled, but it was the most serious smile I'd ever seen, and the first words out of his mouth were, "I've been expecting you."

"I... I'm here to get a wand."

He almost laughed. "I know."

After about forty-five minutes of waving various wands, he told me to stop, that this one was perfect. I paid for it and left, as quickly as possible.

It felt wonderful to be out in the sun again, but in my rush to get away from the wand shop, I bumped into a thin, brown – haired boy and almost knocked him to the ground. "Oh! I'm so sorry!" I exclaimed, embarrassed.

"S'okay," he mumbled, and began to slink off, but then he looked me in the eyes, and immediately straightened up and smiled. Shaking the hair out of his face, he introduced himself. "Remus Lupin," he said, and stuck out a hand for me to shake.

"Lily Evans, nice to meet you."

"You too.... I like your... uh, green eyes. They're uh... bright."

I tried to keep from laughing. Nodding my head and smiling, I said , "Er...Thank you, I guess. So... do you go to Hogwarts?"

"Yeah. I'm starting first year."

"Me too!" I said, glad to have something to talk about. "Are you nervous? I am. I only found out about magic a month ago!"

Yeah. So your parents are muggles, are they? I've always wondered – Is it hard to live without magic?"

I thought for a moment. "Well, I don't really know. I mean, you can't miss something if you've never had it, right? And especially if you don't even know that it exists!"

"Hmm... I guess I never thought of it like that."

I checked my watch. "Oh, I'm sorry. It was nice talking to you, but I have to finish my shopping before it's time to meet my mum and dad." I began to walk away reluctantly.

"Wait! Maybe... never mind."

I turned around. "What is it?"

"Nothing." Said Remus.

"No really, tell me."

"Well, I just thought, maybe we could... shop together?" Not if you don't want to, though! But we're both getting the same things and -"

"Sure!"

"Really?" Remus's face brightened.

"Of course! Come on, I was thinking of getting my robes next."

I smiled. My first Hogwarts friend.


	5. At King's Cross

**DISCLAIMER**: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Chapter Five – At King's Cross

For what seemed to be the most quickly passing two hours of my life, I explored Diagon Alley with Remus, getting everything that I needed, and quite a few things that I didn't. We talked and laughed and ate, and I learned quite a few things about Hogwarts and the magical world that I hadn't known before. This included the four houses that every Hogwarts student was sorted into. You were either a Hufflepuff, who were kind, hard-working, and loyal, Ravenclaw, who were clever and intelligent, Gryffindor, who were brave and bold, or Slytherin, who were cunning, ambitious, and always pureblood wizards.

"My whole mother's family was in Ravenclaw, but my father's were all in Hufflepuff," explained Remus. "I'll probably be in Ravenclaw. Don't tell my parents, but secretly I hope that I'll be in Gryffindor... anything other than Slytherin, though...I've heard they aren't the nicest people around. Of course, if I were _in_ Slytherin, I'm sure I wouldn't feel that way... Wait-" He scratched his head. "Now I've gone and confused myself again..."

I laughed. "Well, I don't have to worry about being put in a house that doesn't accept muggle-borns. I expect I'll be in Ravenclaw as well. I mean, I've always gotten top marks in all my classes."

Remus and I jumped as almost every one of the hundreds of clocks in Perfecting Punctuality, the magical clock shop, went off.

"Oh no!" I said, "I was supposed to meet my parents half an hour ago! I'll see you tomorrow on the train?"

"Of course!" replied my new friend, and we exchanged goodbyes.

The next day, September first, my parents dropped me off with my luggage and ticket at King's Cross station. After a tight embrace, I pulled away from them. "See you in December!" I couldn't believe I was going to a boarding school! I was so scared.

"Goodbye, Sweetheart," said my mum. "Wait! I almost forgot! I got you something!"

"Show me! Show me!" I called eagerly.

"Here." She handed me a heavy white box. Inside were 200 sheets of stationary, decorated with lilies on the edges.

"Thank you! I love it!"

"I'm glad. But-" she added, taking them back, "You can't have them unless you _promise_ to write!"

"Oh, I do! All the time!"

"I knew you would! There's something else, too." She drew a book out of her purse and placed it in my hands. It was a small diary with a velvety black cover, and a golden "L" was sewn on the front.

"Oh, Mum! It's beautiful, thank you!"

I hugged them both again.

My mother put her hand on my shoulder and said "Stay out of trouble, kid,".

"And don't blow yourself up!" added my dad, smiling.

"I'll try not to," I laughed.

"See ya," he said.

"Goodbye!" I cried, and I watched them drive away. I was on my own now. I would have to take care of myself until December seventeenth, when I could come home for two weeks.

I looked at my ticket. I had better get to the train before it left. I had fifteen minutes. Oh no. This had to be a joke! The platform listed was 9 ¾! I decided to ask around, and see if anyone could tell me how to get there. Even if the muggles didn't know, I was bound to find another Hogwarts student sometime! After asking about two dozen people, and getting nothing but laughs or stares, I finally figured it out, no thanks to the last two black-haired boys I asked. They were about my age, one's long hair was kept back in a ponytail, and the other's, though considerably shorter, stuck out in every possible direction. The one with shorter hair also had thick, round, black glasses. They seemed friendly enough, but what got me was what they were talking about – Quidditch! Remus had told me about it. It was a wizarding sport played high in the air on broomsticks.

"Excuse me," I said, tapping Glasses-Boy on the shoulder, "But could you two tell me how to get onto Platform Nine and Three Quarters?"

Apparently I was wrong about the 'nice' thing. They only laughed and ran ahead... straight into a brick wall! But instead of crashing, they disappeared! Now it all came together. That brick wall was the divider between Platforms Nine and Ten. Maybe, if I ran at it...

I didn't take the time to think. I think I knew that if I had, I never would have done it. Running headfirst into brick walls was not something I normally did just for fun. To my relief, it worked. I actually went _into_ the barrier, and when I came out the other side, a large wooden sign overhead told me where I was – Platform 9 ¾! I looked to my left, and there it was, the old-fashioned red train, The Hogwarts Express. A clock near the barrier told me I had exactly three minutes until the train departed. Hauling my trunk behind me, I stepped on.


	6. Home Sweet Home

**DISCLAIMER**: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by J.K. Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Chapter 6- Home Sweet Home

**A/N: **This chapter sucks.

Inside the train were several compartments with sliding glass doors and curtains. I kept walking until I found an empty one, and sat near the window. Soon, someone joined me. It was Gretchen, from the Leaky cauldron, followed by her third – year sister, Hilary, who was basically a taller, more freckly, version of Gretchen. They sat down across from me and I was introduced to Hilary.

"She doesn't have any friends her own age," explained Gretchen.

Hilary pinched her. "Not true! ... I just can't find them."

I talked to them for a few minutes, and just after the train departed, Remus entered the compartment, followed by none other than Glasses-Boy and Friend.

Before Remus had even had a chance to say hi, the long-haired one sat down next to me and stuck out his hand. "Sirius Black."

"Lily Evans." I reached out to shake his hand, but my hand was met by the other boy, who had squeezed between us on the seat.

"James Potter, nice to meet'cha," he said, while jerking my arm up and down with both hands.

I rolled my eyes in disgust and turned to look out the window.

"Oh, don't mind James," said Sirius, placing his hand on my shoulder. "He's almost as immature and annoying as I am!"

James stuck his head out the door. "Yes! Sirius, come on! The trolley's coming. Let's be the first ones to get to it, and then we'll go back to our compartment."

James and Sirius left. Remus, who had been sitting next to Hilary and Gretchen, switched over to my side as they followed James and Sirius to the snack trolley. "Sorry about that. I went to go find you, and they just decided to follow me."

"Are you _friends_ with them?"

"I'm friends with James. I've known him for a couple of years. We see each other a lot at our parents' parties and such. Sirius, though, I just met him today. His family... Well, they aren't really the kind of people my family like to associate themselves with."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, don't tell Sirius I told you this," said Remus, lowering his voice, "but he comes from a long line of dark wizards. All the Blacks have been in Slytherin. I don't really trust him, myself, but I guess I kind of have to give him the benefit of the doubt. I mean, he is James's best friend, and James is pretty trustworthy. He may be a bit of a prankster, and quite annoying at times, and sometimes a bit of a jerk, and -"

I gave Remus a doubtful look.

He rolled his eyes. "The point is, I trust James, and James trusts Sirius, so I trust Sirius."

"Well," I replied, "I guess you can't judge a book by it's cover, but neither of them make a very good first, or second, impression."

"Oh? You've met them before?"

"Yes, I tried asking them how to get through the barrier, but they only laughed at me!"

"Oh, well, they _mean_ well," said Remus apologetically.

"Sure," I replied, with a hint of sarcasm, and turned to face the window again.

The rest of the train ride was mostly silent. I watched the rolling hills and distant mountains out the window, Remus read a book, and we changed into our uniforms about halfway through. The Williams sisters must have found someone more interesting to sit with, because they never came back. After what seemed like hours of staring out the train daydreaming, I finally noticed the faint gray outline of a large castle in the distance. I gently tapped Remus on the shoulder. "Remus, is that it? Is that Hogwarts?", I asked excitedly, gesturing toward the castle.

"Probably," he answered, and stood up to get a closer look.

Before I knew it, the train had come to a stop, and I lost Remus in a crowd of people pouring out onto the platform. Once out of the train, I got my first close up look at Hogwarts. It was a huge, stone castle with several floors and stained glass windows, and turrets and balconies everywhere, in no apparent order. It looked positively amazing in the red sunset. The grounds were beautiful as well; green grass everywhere you looked, speckled with trees and flowers, and the sparkling blue lake was the largest I had ever seen. Surrounding the grounds was a thick, dark forest that seemed to go on forever. It added to the feel of the area, but was not quite as welcoming. It actually seemed a bit threatening.

Once over the shock of Hogwarts, I started to look for Remus. All I saw was James, not too far from me, flirting with a disgusted brunette around sixteen. A few people away from him, however, I noticed Sirius, looking small and pale, apparently being threatened by a tall, blond, seventh year witch and someone I could only assume was her younger sister, as she looked exactly like her, except for her jet black hair. Another dark-headed girl, about our age, was looking on angrily.

I was watching, slightly interested, as Remus appeared next to me. I didn't even notice him until he spoke. "Those are some of Sirius's cousins," he said, following my gaze. "As I said before; Slytherins, the whole lot of them. They're probably telling him he'll be disowned if he gets sorted into Gryffindor ... either disowned or murdered."

I raised my eyebrows. "I don't understand. Why is school house so important to everyone here?"

Remus sighed. "It's a lot more important than it should be, that's all I know. It's everything to British witches and wizards. As soon as you tell someone that you went to Hogwarts, they immediately ask what House you were in, as if they're four totally different schools."

"That can't be too good for school spirit."

"What school spirit? From what I've heard, there is none. But I can't blame the students, though. There hasn't been any competition with other schools since the last Triwizard Tournament, and that was centuries ago. Now the biggest tournament is for the school Quidditch Cup each year, and that's just between houses."

I was just about to inquire about The Triwizard Tournament, but that's when I heard a loud, scratchy, male voice over all the other conversations, and immediately found it's source in the most enormous man I had ever seen, towering over the students. He was easily twice my height, and probably about four times as big around. He had beady black eyes, hidden under extremely bushy eyebrows. His thick, curly, brown hair was cropped fairly short, and his scraggly beard reached almost to his collar. His face told me he was probably around his mid thirties.

"FIRS' YEARS! FIRS' YEARS! CALLING ALL FIRS' YEARS! FOLLOW ME TO THE BOATS!"

"That's us!", said Remus, so we trailed after the giant man and the other first years to the docks. Once there, Remus and I were split up, and I was ushered into a small wooden rowboat with five other first years I didn't know. I was confused about how we were going to get to the castle across the lake in rowboats with no oars, but my question was answered when the several boats simultaneously began to move slowly across the glistening black water.

The dark had come, and it would have been pitch black out on the lake if it weren't for the lanterns every other first year had been handed, and the faint glow from the torches on the castle ahead. The ride to the castle was long and slow, but fairly interesting. Our massive leader, who introduced himself as 'Rubeus Hagrid, Gamekeeper's Apprentice, gave us a good tour, despite the fact that we could barely see anything through the night.

We eventually came to the huge double doors through which we were supposed to enter the building, and climbed clumsily out of our boats, which soon left us.

The doors were soon opened by a witch in velvety forest green robes, whom I immediately recognized as Professor McGonagall. She beckoned us in quickly. Following the dim light from inside, I was first into the building. The interior was beautiful. Tapestries and sconces lined the stone walls, and the girl in a painting to my left smiled and waved, before walking completely out of her frame and disappearing into the wall. It was just like a fairy tale. Except finally the fairy tale was true. I smiled. This would be my new home for the next ten months. Home sweet home.


End file.
